Resident Evil: Sober
by Herringway
Summary: Title says all. Author's note inside says more. Rated T for language. Song used: Sober, by Tool.


**Sober  
**A Resident Evil : 4 Songfic.

_Author's Note: I was bored and I had realized that I hadn't uploaded anything in a long time. So I figured I would change things up a little with a songfic. There are small footnotes in brackets with translations and other random bullpop. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: Resident Evil: 4 and all titles/characters belong to their proper owners. 'Sober' is property of Maynard James Keenan and Tool._

Leon panted as he rounded the corner, reloading the Blacktail pistol after fumbling with the magazine trying to get it out of his pocket. It wouldn't be long before a multitude of Los Ganados (Various peasants and others infected with an age-old parasite, litteratlly translated as 'The Cattle') were on his trail, and he was running short on herbs to keep him going.

But there was more than just the Los Ganados he was worried about. There was something else... something big, and everywhere Leon turned, it seemed to be there, suffocating him.

_...There's a shadow just behind me,  
shrouding every step I take..._

It was no good. They were on him now. Leon fought tooth and nail to keep himself from being pushed down, but to no avail. A heavy, dull object made hard contact with the back of his head.

Darkness. The one thing Leon never thought he'd be afraid of until now. And he was spinning into it, slowly, as his last weave of conciousness gave out. He was alone again, with nothing but his fear making him feel weaker.

He woke up shortly after, and he could feel himself thrash about violently. He was awake, but his mind wasn't. Like something from the film 'Jacob's Ladder', he had no control over his own limbs, and they began to twitch and shake violently. He could hear Saddler's taunting voice in front of him, mocking him as Leon cried out in pain.

"Aww, my American friend is suffering." Saddler crooned, his accent heavy. "Good. The Parasite is growing, Mr. Kennedy... you do not have much time left. If you choose to comply, however, we will make your suffering as painless as possible." He continued, laughing aloud and poking his chest with a single, bony finger, increasing force with each word.

_...Making every promise empty,  
pointing every finger at me... _

Of course, Saddler wasn't serious. There was no way to make suffering painless, at least, none that Leon knew of (And he was trying to keep the 'Instant Death' idea out of his mind). As Leon ventured the Spanish countryside in search of Ashley, Saddler was watching his every move. After witnessing the killing of many of Los Ganados, followers of the Los Illuminados (A religious cult group, litterally means 'The Shining/Illuminating'), Saddler could be pondering two things: One, Leon may make a suitable bodyguard. Two, Leon could be considered a threat of some kind and must be eliminated. "Of course, Leon, you realize, I've been expecting you." Saddler added after a moment. "It was a matter of time before you would fall into our hands." 

_...Waiting like a stalking butler  
who upon the finger rests..._

"S...Saddler." Leon spat. "You bastard...!" Of course, Leon couldn't do anything. Not in this state, anyway. The parasite, Las Plagas, was working on destroying Leon from the inside out, figurativley speaking. "This isn't... a revolution...! This... is... Terrorism!" He managed to get out, walking on shaky legs towards Saddler, attempting to throw a punch to the older man's jaw.

Of course, the attempt to resist was futile. For an elderly man, Saddler had unusually quick reflexes, and, like Chief Mendez back in the Village of Pueblo, grabbed Leon's hand and threw him into the wall with a mocking laugh. "Isn't that a popular word these days." He grinned, repeating exactly what Salazzar had said at the Castle turret. "So what you've been doing to my followers is different?" This question made Leon stop in his tracks. Like an Incendiary Grenade, it was thrown into Leon's judgement and made him burn with hatred.

_...Murder now the path called must we  
just before the son has come..._

"Since when did **ETHICS******come into the question?!" Leon screamed, while Saddler continued to grin and mock.

"So it's not terrorism when the United States does it, then?"

"Just SHUT UP!!" Leon ran towards Saddler again, knife ready, swinging violently. Saddler casually began to whistle, causing Leon to stop dead yet again and begin to violently twitch and shake. He began screaming at the floor in gibberish, pounding it like a child with a temper tantrum. His eyes widened and turned red, and he began to froth at the mouth. Las Plagas was having a field day on Leon, turning him into an unhuman monster while Saddler whistled.

_Jesus, won't you fucking whistle  
something but the past and done?_

A hush suddenly fell as the sound of a bullet through a window was heard. Saddler turned to look behind him, able to only watch as Ada Wong's high-heeled shoe made contact with his face. Leon's contortions stopped, his conditions somewhat back to normal. "Leon, are you alright?" She asked as Saddler left without a word. Leon opened a small purple container, filled with a drug that would stop his convulsions, and took two of the red and white pills.

"As long as the master of puppets doesn't do that again, I'll be fine." Leon replied. He collapsed into a nearby chair, thinking. "Hey Ada." He said after a moment's silence. "Are we any different than the Los Illuminados we've been slaughtering like sheep?"

"How's that?" Ada sat in the other chair, smoothing her crimson dress.

"It's something Saddler made me think about. He said something about the fact that what we're doing is just about the same or equal to what they're doing." Leon stared at the Blacktail pistol on a nearby desk. "It's kind of... like... like we're all drunkards, doing what we're told to do without knowing of the consequences until later, when all's said and done."

"If that's the case, pass around the bottle and gimmie another swig." Ada said. "And, no, we are different. We're trying to put a stop to what they're trying to build up: An empire of darkness." Ada winked. "Well, busy girl, best be on the run." And with that, she was gone.

_Why can't we not be sober?  
I just want to start this over.  
Why can't we drink forever.  
I just want to start things over._

Leon picked up the pistol and holstered it, then searched through the desks. He found several cases of Ammuntion, a few Green and Red herbs, and a can of First Aid Spray. From behind a bookshelf he found an Emerald and two Spinels, which he would sell to the Merchant (His name was later revealed to be Richard Stockman). As he placed some of the objects into his pockets, he felt his hand make contact with an object he had forgotten about. It was a photo of Ashley. After looking at it for a long time, he began to weep softly. "I... I'm sorry, Ashley... I... couldn't keep my promise..."

_I am just a worthless liar.  
I am just an imbecile.  
I will only complicate you.  
Trust in me and fall as well._

_Snap out of it, Leon!_ Came a sudden cry. It sounded a lot like Ashley! He turned around only to realize that he was still alone in the room, the window Ada used to exit still open. _The Leon I know wouldn't be giving up like this! It's just the parasite making you think like that!_

Somehow or other, the voice was right. It wasn't just physically deteriorating him, but emotionally and mentally, too.

_I will find a center in you.  
I will chew it up and leave,  
I will work to elevate you  
just enough to bring you down._

From the open window came a ball of paper. It smelled of roses and expensive perfume, and marked with a lip print instead of a signature... a letter from Ada. It read, "Don't let the past bring you down. You'll never be able to see what lies ahead."

_Mother Mary won't you whisper  
something but what's past and done. _

"There should be something behind the southeastern door that might help you out a lot.

_Trust me." _The letter ended there. Leon filed the letter for safekeeping, and headed through the only other door in that room. In it was the security panel, complete with video! He could see Ashley's location: She was sitting down, softly crying, murmuring Leon's name over and over, in what looked like a prison. Thankfully, there was also a map to show the directions there. Instead of committing it to memory, Leon tore down the map and stored it in his pocket, keeping the hopes of being able to pull out of this one safely, with the goal of bringing Ashley back completed. It was at this time that Leon knew what he truly wanted...

_I want what I want._


End file.
